All are welcome in this space…
St. Vincent de Paul Church is wheelchair-accessible throughout. Outside ramps provide access into the church and Education Building, and an elevator allows for multi-floor access within the Education Building. Church pews are arranged to ensure adequate space for wheelchairs, which can also access the bema for full participation in Word and Eucharistic ministries. In addition, the 9:30 Sunday Mass is interpreted in American Sign Language.
In the church’s 1992 renovation, it became apparent that the worship space—designed from a different aesthetic and for less participatory forms of celebration—was inadequate for the current needs of the congregation. The pews marched rigidly forward…the space was dominated by a high altar…the floor’s many levels made it impassable for wheelchairs…the building’s raised entrance was inaccessible to the handicapped…and the acoustics were bad.
The 1992-1997 renovation leveled the floor to make it suitable for wheelchairs and walkers and created space for both within the seating area for the congregation. It created an exterior ramp into the nave of the church and three interior ramps from the nave to the bema. An elevator was installed in the Education Building. The renovation addressed acoustics by covering ceiling with sound-absorbent materials and installing a single-source sound system.
We also have hearing devices that transmit sound from the microphones directly to the units to assist in hearing. Those devices are available in the case on the table at the back of the church. They are available for use during all of our liturgies.
See the Self-Guided Tour of the Architectural Features of our Historic Church
